Clad in clapboards and patterned shingles and dressed to the nines with wraparound porches, stained-glass windows, gingerbread trim, and  turrets, the romantic Queen Anne house is the last word in over-the- top American picturesqueness.  Originally developed by the English  architect Richard Norman Shaw, the Queen Anne style was popularized  in the US by a new abundance of factory-made architectural elements,  a tendency toward excess during the “Gilded Age,” and the  proliferation of home pattern books promoting the style.

A subset of Victorian design, Queen Anne style shaped a wide swath of  American domestic architecture: from modest workingman’s cottages to  the imposing piles found in old industrial cities like Buffalo and  Pittsburgh; from the exuberance of San Francisco’s “painted  ladies” to the the elegant restraint of Brooklyn brownstones.  
Although some Queen Anne's have classical detail like dentils and ionic columns, their facades are asymmetrical, a departure from earlier neoclassicism.  Their cross-gabled or mansard slate roofs are steeply pitched, and there is always at least one porch and often large decorative bay windows, orienting the house strongly toward public space.

Taking a cue from the exterior architecture, Queen Anne interiors often feature crown moldings, plaster cornices, and beveled glass mirrors.  Staircases are bordered with turned balusters to match the railings on the porch.  In this environment, furnishings must be chosen with care: in keeping with a Queen Anne home’s overall style, 
romantic eclecticism is the order of the day, but Victorian ornament can quickly descend into excess and clutter.  (For this reason, Queen Anne eventually came to be known as “bric-a-brac” style.)

Queen Anne exteriors were sometimes painted in four or five different colors to accent the various trim and textural elements, so it’s fair to use a good deal of strong color inside the home as well.  Earthy tones like ochre, red, and deep green can be left to their own devices or accented with gilding and richly patterned wall paper.  
Textiles are also key, from velvet upholstery to oriental carpets, and bric-a-brac is indeed an element of this style: china figurines, portraits, and miniatures are displayed on walls, occasional tables, and the ubiquitous carved mantelpieces. Of course, Victorian antiques  can work beautifully in a Queen Anne, but as they tend to be heavy  and dark it is wise to use them in moderation.  While an entire  parlor set in plushly upholstered wine-red velvet may be a bit too  Gone With the Wind, one Victorian settee will look dynamite when  paired with some simpler pieces against a richly colored and detailed  backdrop.

Elements of Queen Anne Style:

Walls: Wood paneling, stained or painted, up to dado height; crown and baseboard molding; chair rails.  Plain plaster walls with molding will also do.  Wall colors are generally pale: cream, dusky rose, sage or pea green, powder blue, gray-beige.  Florals are fine, particularly Chinese motifs like peonies and chrysanthemums. In grander houses, antiqued wall finishes, gold, and murals can be used.

Windows: Dramatic draperies: swag, rope tassels, fringe, backed with sheers, wood blinds or shades.

Floors: Wood floors covered with oriental rugs are best.  Plush carpet,
perhaps floral, is fine also. In grand houses, marble floors were used.

Lighting: Chandeliers in brass or crystal; Chinese motif table lamps. Wall sconces in silver or brass.

Accessories:  Chinese porcelain,  lacquer ware, silver tea services, linens, carved picture frames.  Small sculptures, busts. Fans, bronze, snuff bottles.

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